At Blue Maple, we manage cabins and cottages all across West Virginia and the Shenandoah Valley, which means we drive these mountain roads a lot. Over the last few years we have watched the craft beer scene here turn into something special. New taprooms keep opening, old favorites keep winning awards, and small mountain towns are starting to feel like real beer destinations.
This guide is our take on the breweries worth building a trip around. Some are tucked into ski-and-hiking towns. Others sit on quiet downtown streets in places like Berkeley Springs, Thomas, and Lewisburg. All of them serve beer made by people who clearly love what they do.
If you are planning a craft beer road trip through the new West Virginia, these are the breweries we send our guests to first.
Why West Virginia Is Worth a Craft Beer Road Trip Right Now
The big national craft beer story in 2024 was a small dip in sales, but West Virginia did not get the memo. Research out of West Virginia University shows the state’s craft segment kept growing, with more breweries, more taprooms, and more beer tourism.
A few things make our state different:
- Water. A lot of these breweries pull from spring-fed or mountain water sources, which gives the beer a clean, soft base.
- Place. Most breweries are within a short drive of a state park, a river, or a ski resort.
- Scale. Almost everything is small and independent. You will often meet the brewer.
- The trails. The state now markets a formal craft beer road trip, plus the Brews and Booze Trail in southern West Virginia, plus hike-and-brew pairings like Views and Brews.
We think of our cabins as the rest stops between breweries. Long mountain drive, a hike, a soak in a hot tub, then a flight of fresh beer at a small-town taproom. That is the trip.
Local tip: Build days around one or two breweries, not five. The drives are scenic but slow, and you will enjoy the beer more if you have hiked, paddled, or driven a ridge road first.
Eastern Panhandle: Start Your Beer Road Trip Near Berkeley Springs
This is where we are based and where we send most of our first-time guests. The Eastern Panhandle is close enough to DC, Baltimore, and Northern Virginia for a long weekend, and there is real beer here.
Berkeley Springs Brewing Co.
This is our hometown brewery, and it is a favorite stop for guests staying at our Berkeley Springs and Great Cacapon cabins. The brewery sits just outside the historic downtown, with a relaxed taproom that feels like a neighborhood spot rather than a tourist trap.
The beer leans approachable: a clean pale ale, a lighter blonde, and usually something darker on tap, with seasonal small-batch releases rotating in. The kitchen is a real strength too, with a smoked brisket sandwich (the Smokestack) that locals talk about more than the beer some weeks.
- Rating: 4.4 stars (770+ reviews)
- Address: 110 Michigan Ln, Berkeley Springs, WV 25411
- Phone: (304) 258-3369
- What to order: A flight to start, then the Smokestack brisket sandwich
Quick insight: Berkeley Springs has been famous for its mineral water for more than 200 years. That same aquifer feeds the brewery, and it shows up in how clean and soft the beers taste.
Learn more about Berkeley Springs Brewing Co.
Abolitionist Ale Works (Charles Town)
Charles Town is a short hop from Shepherdstown, and Abolitionist Ale Works has become the experimental beer stop in this corner of the state. Think heavily hopped IPAs, a rotating fruited sour series, and the occasional mixed-fermentation oddity that you will not see anywhere else in West Virginia.
The taproom is on the main drag in a historic small city, with a slightly bohemian, beer-geek crowd. The kitchen runs flatbreads and small plates that are built for sharing over a flight.
- Rating: 4.7 stars (389+ reviews)
- Address: 129 W Washington St #1529, Charles Town, WV 25414
- Phone: (681) 252-1548
- Hours: Tue to Fri 4 to 9 PM, Sat 12 to 9 PM, Sun 12 to 8 PM, closed Mon
- What to order: A flight that includes whatever sour is currently on, plus the Shenandoah saison
Learn more about Abolitionist Ale Works
Mountaineer Country: Beer in and Around Morgantown
Morgantown is the easiest in-state stop on this route. Three breweries (and a few solid beer bars) sit within a short drive of downtown, so you can park, walk, and taste without putting anyone behind the wheel.
Morgantown Brewing Company
Morgantown Brewing is the elder statesman here. It is the oldest operating brewery in West Virginia, set in a brick building on the historic Wharf District waterfront. The beer list runs wide: an IPA, a few lagers, and an always-rotating cast of seasonals and one-offs that lean experimental.
The kitchen is the other reason to come. Burgers, sandwiches, and roasted Brussels sprouts get singled out in guest reviews, and the laid-back, self-seat-yourself vibe makes it an easy weekday stop.
- Rating: 4.3 stars (428+ reviews)
- Address: 1291 University Ave, Morgantown, WV 26505
- What to order: Whatever experimental beer is freshest, plus a burger
Learn more about Morgantown Brewing Company
Local tip: Pair Morgantown Brewing with a morning or afternoon ride or walk on the Deckers Creek Rail Trail. The trail finishes near downtown, which puts you within easy reach of the brewery for a celebratory pint.
Chestnut Brew Works Taproom
Chestnut Brew Works has been a quiet favorite among serious Morgantown beer drinkers for years, and a recent move to a larger taproom on Brockway Avenue has only made it better. The beer is balanced and well-built: a house pale ale, a steady IPA, and usually a malt-forward dark beer on year-round.
The new space is bright and open, with a real food menu (flatbread pizzas are the standout) and a long bench-style seating layout that fills with regulars on weekend nights.
- Rating: 4.8 stars (89+ reviews)
- Address: 444 Brockway Ave, Morgantown, WV 26501
- Phone: (304) 212-5079
- What to order: The flagship pale ale and a flatbread
Learn more about Chestnut Brew Works
Short Story Brewing
Short Story is technically outside Morgantown, about 30 minutes north in Rivesville, and that drive is part of the appeal. The original location is a true farm brewery, with a covered deck, a pasture of cows next door, and a tap list that leans into bright, hazy IPAs and clean lagers.
We send guests staying in our north-central Virginia and Eastern Panhandle cabins here when they want a quieter, more rural beer experience. It is worth the drive.
- Rating: 4.8 stars (172+ reviews)
- Address: 5904 Fairmont Rd, Rivesville, WV 26588
- Phone: (304) 933-2165
- Hours: Wed and Thu 4 to 9 PM, Fri 4 to 10 PM, Sat 12 to 10 PM, Sun 12 to 8 PM
- What to order: A hazy IPA flight and one of the rotating lagers
Learn more about Short Story Brewing
Tucker County: Davis, Thomas, and the Highlands Beer Cluster
This is the densest beer pocket in West Virginia and one of our favorite parts of the state. Davis and Thomas sit a few miles apart at high elevation, surrounded by Blackwater Falls, Canaan Valley, and the Monongahela National Forest. You can park once for a long weekend and brewery-hop on foot for a full evening.
Stumptown Ales (Davis)
Stumptown is the hop-forward heart of the Davis beer scene. The brewery’s IPA lineup gets consistently named among the best in West Virginia by serious beer drinkers, and the taproom is small, woodsy, and full of skiers, hikers, and mountain bikers depending on the season.
The kitchen is small but punches above its weight, especially when a guest chef is in. We have had guests tell us the Stumptown IPA flight after a Blackwater Falls hike is the trip highlight.
- Rating: 4.8 stars (328+ reviews)
- Address: 390 William Ave, Davis, WV 26260
- Phone: (304) 259-5570
- Hours: Mon to Thu 5 to 9 PM, Fri 3 to 9 PM, Sat 1 to 10 PM, Sun 1 to 7 PM
- What to order: An IPA flight and whatever the kitchen is running that night
Learn more about Stumptown Ales
Mountain State Brewing Co. (Thomas)
Mountain State is one of the longest-running breweries in West Virginia and one of the most widely distributed, but the original Thomas taproom is still the place to drink it. The brewery sits on a small ridge above town with a wood-fired pizza kitchen, live music space, and views that make a sunset pint feel earned.
The core lineup (amber, blonde, IPA, oatmeal stout) is what you will see in West Virginia bars across the state. The Thomas taproom is where you taste it freshest.
- Rating: 4.3 stars (444+ reviews)
- Address: 1 Nelson Blvd, Thomas, WV 26292
- Phone: (304) 463-4500
- Hours: Thu 5 to 11 PM, Fri 12 to 11 PM, Sat 12 to 11 PM, Sun 12 to 7 PM, closed Wed
- What to order: Almost Heaven Amber Ale and a wood-fired pizza
Did you know? Mountain State has been on the Views and Brews list for years, paired with the Elakala to Yellow Birch Trail Loop in Blackwater Falls. Hike first, then drive less than ten minutes to the taproom.
Learn more about Mountain State Brewing Co.
Big Timber Brewing Company (Elkins)
About 45 minutes south of Davis, Big Timber Brewing in Elkins is a natural pairing for a Tucker County beer weekend. The newer downtown location is bigger and more polished than most West Virginia taprooms, with indoor and outdoor seating, live music, and one of the deepest tap lists in the state.
The brewery is known for balanced core beers plus regular experimental releases. If you like flights, this is the place to ask for one.
- Rating: 4.8 stars (196+ reviews)
- Address: 2 Davis Ave, Elkins, WV 26241
- Phone: (304) 637-5008
- Hours: Tue to Thu 4 to 10 PM, Fri 12 to 10 PM, Sat 12 to 10 PM, Sun 12 to 8 PM
- What to order: A full flight, including whatever is newest on the experimental side
Learn more about Big Timber Brewing Company
Charleston and the Capital City Beer Scene
If your craft beer road trip swings west and south, Charleston is the easy urban anchor. The downtown is walkable, the food scene has come back strong over the last few years, and the brewing community has grown right alongside it.
Fife Street Brewing
Fife Street is the brewery we send guests to first in Charleston. It is set in a bright, high-ceilinged downtown space with big windows that open up on warm days, and the food gets as much attention as the beer. The nachos in particular get name-checked in nearly every review we read.
The beer list runs the full spectrum: a solid core IPA, a clean lager, comfort-style darker beers, and a steady stream of seasonals.
- Rating: 4.7 stars (304+ reviews)
- Address: 180 Summers St, Charleston, WV 25301
- Phone: (304) 346-3433
- Hours: Open daily, 11 AM to 10 PM
- What to order: A flight, plus the nachos
Learn more about Fife Street Brewing
Southern West Virginia: New River Gorge and the Greenbrier Valley
If you have an extra two or three days, head south. This is where the beer scene meets the most dramatic outdoor recreation in the state: the New River Gorge, Lewisburg, and the resort towns around the Greenbrier.
Bridge Brew Works (Fayetteville)
Bridge Brew Works is the brewery you stop at after a rafting day on the New River. It sits a short drive from the New River Gorge Bridge, with a lot of outdoor seating and a malty, drinkable beer program that pairs well with a long day outside.
The food is simple and made in-house, growlers and crowlers are available to take back to your cabin, and the regulars are usually a mix of climbers, paddlers, and locals.
- Rating: 4.7 stars (238+ reviews)
- Address: 335 Nick Rahall Greenway, Fayetteville, WV 25840
- Phone: (304) 595-0319
- Hours: Tue to Sun 1 to 9 PM, closed Mon
- What to order: A malty flight, plus a growler to take with you
Learn more about Bridge Brew Works
Weathered Ground Brewery (Ghent)
Weathered Ground is one of the small mountain breweries that keeps surprising us. Tucked along Flat Top Road in Ghent, the brewery uses local ingredients in small batches, with a tap list that rotates more than most places. The food is simple and the room is big, with tables for groups and a relaxed pace that fits a long Saturday.
The brewery is also a regular at southern West Virginia beer events and shows up on the Brews and Booze Trail, which means a lot of regional beer travelers find their way here.
- Rating: 4.8 stars (331+ reviews)
- Address: 2027 Flat Top Rd, Ghent, WV 25843
- Phone: (304) 223-2500
- Hours: Wed and Thu 4 to 9 PM, Fri 4 to 10 PM, Sat 12 to 10 PM, Sun 12 to 6 PM
- What to order: A small flight of whatever is freshest
Learn more about Weathered Ground Brewery
Greenbrier Valley Brewing Company (Maxwelton)
Greenbrier Valley Brewing is the production-scale brewery of the southern part of the state. Its cans show up across West Virginia, and the brewery sits just outside Lewisburg in Maxwelton, with a tasting room that hosts steady events.
The flagship lineup leans into local folklore in its naming and label art, and the IPAs in particular get a lot of love. Lewisburg itself is an easy drive in for dinner before or after, so we usually pair this brewery with a half-day in the historic downtown.
- Rating: 4.7 stars (94+ reviews)
- Address: 862 Industrial Park Rd, Maxwelton, WV 24957
- Hours: Wed and Thu 3 to 9 PM, Fri 3 to 9 PM, Sat 11 AM to 9 PM, closed Sun to Tue
- What to order: The flagship IPA and whatever seasonal is currently on
Learn more about Greenbrier Valley Brewing Company
A Sample 5-Day West Virginia Craft Beer Road Trip
Here is the route we usually map for guests when they want to combine craft beer with mountain driving. It is built around our cabin clusters, so you can use one or two of our properties as your home base on either end.
- Day 1: Eastern Panhandle. Arrive in Berkeley Springs, soak at the historic springs, and finish at Berkeley Springs Brewing Co. Overnight at a Berkeley Springs cabin.
- Day 2: Charles Town and Shepherdstown. Drive east. Hit Abolitionist Ale Works in the afternoon, then dinner and a pint at the Bavarian Inn in Shepherdstown.
- Day 3: Morgantown. Long mountain drive west. Park in town, walk to Morgantown Brewing Company and Chestnut Brew Works, and save Short Story Brewing for tomorrow’s morning detour.
- Day 4: Tucker County. Drive south to Davis and Thomas. Hike Blackwater Falls or the Elakala loop in the morning, then brewery-hop between Stumptown Ales and Mountain State Brewing Co. in the evening.
- Day 5: Elkins or Greenbrier Valley. Either close out with Big Timber Brewing in Elkins on the way home, or push further south for Greenbrier Valley Brewing and Lewisburg.
If your group has more time, add a day in the New River Gorge for Bridge Brew Works and a rafting trip.
Festivals Worth Building the Trip Around in 2026
A few 2026 events are big enough to plan a whole weekend around:
- Craft Beer Showcase (February 7, 2026, southern West Virginia). Tastings from regional favorites including Freefolk, Weathered Ground, Hawk’s Knob, Big Timber, and Greenbrier.
- Hometown Brewfest (March 7, 2026, Canaan Valley State Park). Fifty-plus craft beers in a mountain resort setting. Pair with a ski day or early-spring hiking.
- Uniquely West Virginia Festival (Berkeley Springs). A 35-year-running celebration of local makers, food, and drink. Great for sampling multiple producers in one place.
- Apple Butter Festival (October 9 to 11, 2026, Berkeley Springs). A 51st-edition fall festival with a dedicated Beer Garden Party on October 9. Peak foliage, traditional Appalachian food, and craft beer in one weekend.
Plan Your West Virginia Beer Road Trip With Us
The new West Virginia craft beer scene rewards a slow trip. Stay a couple of nights in each region, build days around a hike or a drive, and let the breweries be the reward at the end of the day.
At Blue Maple, we manage the cabins that sit between these breweries. From quiet riverside cottages in the Eastern Panhandle to view-cabins near Blackwater Falls and group-friendly chalets near the New River Gorge, we have spent years curating properties that make road trips like this easier.
If you are ready to start planning your craft beer road trip through the new West Virginia, browse our cabins and cottages and pick the base that fits your route. We will handle the rest, you handle the flights.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many breweries are in West Virginia?
The exact number changes year to year as new taprooms open. As of 2026, there are roughly 30 to 40 active craft breweries across the state, with the highest concentrations in Tucker County (Davis and Thomas), Morgantown, the Eastern Panhandle, Charleston, and the Greenbrier Valley.
What is the best brewery town in West Virginia?
For the most beer per square mile, Davis and Thomas in Tucker County are hard to beat. Two small towns sit a few miles apart with multiple breweries you can visit on foot, plus Blackwater Falls and Canaan Valley right outside. Morgantown is the best urban option, and Berkeley Springs is the easiest weekend base from DC.
What beer is West Virginia known for?
West Virginia is known for small-batch, place-driven craft beer rather than one single style. The state has strong IPAs (Stumptown Ales, Greenbrier Valley), classic ambers and stouts (Mountain State Brewing’s Almost Heaven Amber Ale is the most widely seen), German-inspired lagers (Bavarian Inn), and experimental sours (Abolitionist Ale Works).
Is there a West Virginia beer trail?
Yes, a few. West Virginia Tourism publishes the official Almost Heaven craft beer road trip, southern West Virginia has the Brews and Booze Trail, and there is a less formal hike-and-brew list called Views and Brews that pairs trails with nearby breweries.
When is the best time of year for a West Virginia brewery road trip?
Late spring through early fall is the most comfortable for long mountain drives and outdoor seating. October is the most scenic thanks to fall foliage, and it lines up with the Apple Butter Festival in Berkeley Springs. Winter works too if you are pairing the trip with skiing in Canaan Valley or Snowshoe.
Can you do a West Virginia brewery road trip without driving between every stop?
In the right towns, yes. Davis and Thomas are walkable enough to do most brewery visits on foot. Morgantown lets you park downtown and walk to several breweries and beer bars. For the rest of the state, a designated driver or a one-brewery-per-day pace is the safer plan.